There is probably no better gadget for your DIY projects than a 3D printer. With a device capable of assembling every case, frame, bracket and more, this is an essential part of the kit.
Likewise, the Raspberry Pi is also a vital tool in the tech wizard’s arsenal, suitable for everything from home media centers and smart home control. to launch into space!
So what happens when you put these two DIY braces together? Let’s take a look at these 12 Raspberry Pi designs that are available for 3D printing.
Game projects for Raspberry Pi
PiGrrl Nintendo Game Boy Clone
Perhaps one of the most popular uses for the Raspberry Pi is as a game center for retro gaming in the style of and this project takes the idea one step further by focusing emulation on one platform and creating a suitable case.
PiGrrl is, of course, a Nintendo Game Boy clone developed by LadyAda, and you can find the full set of instructions on the Adafruit website, which also includes links to any additional hardware you’ll need. This build uses a cannibalized Nintendo game controller, but there are alternatives to this. We are particularly impressed with the quality of the Game Boy-esque 3D printed case.
Super Game Pi, Game Boy Advance Clone
Still in clone territory, Adafruit also released instructions for what they call the Super Game Pi, which is essentially a clone of the 2001 handheld Game Boy Advance.
The 3D printer file contains more buttons than PiGrrl, but again relies on a cannibalized SNES controller. Just as fun as PiGrrl, it also has a larger screen.
Game Boy Nano
Another great 3D printer project for your Raspberry Pi, based on the Pi Zero, the design of which can be downloaded from Thingverse.
While there are no formal details online for this build, it does seem to require a small display and a compact controller, though you might prefer to just add a dummy set of controls and connect a USB or Bluetooth controller to the Pi Zero as a USB. The port remains open for this assembly.
Google Glass with your Raspberry Pi
Want to know all the facts and figures about every place you visit? Google Glass may have taken a back seat now, will be back but this is a project that can be combined with a Raspberry Pi as a brain, with a 3D printer providing a home for the display, complete with a clip to attach it to glasses!
The file to 3D print your own Google Class replica can be found on Thingiverse, while the display is probably the most important component, in this case cannibalized from a pair of immersive TV glasses.
We’re not saying you won’t get the same level of confusion and ridicule as you would at Google Glass, but it’s worth it!
Raspberry Pi Notebooks
You may know that Pi Top started life as a 3D printed laptop project for Raspberry Pi devices before a successful Kickstarter campaign brought them commercial success — but it’s not the only Raspberry Pi laptop.
Mobile Pi-To-Go
Not quite a laptop like the Pi Top, the Pi-To-Go is nonetheless an impressive project with a small flip display and keyboard thanks to this project file from Thingiverse.
See it in action here.
The bottom of the Pi-To-Go is filled with batteries pulled from an old Dell Latitude D600 laptop battery, and behind the screen is a pirated 64GB SSD card.
